Barrel dumper



p 5, 1967 H. E. STANFIIELD 3,339,764

BARREL DUMPER Filed Oct. 15, 1965 Z SheetS-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR /-/0ward E. Stanfield QM. 1W

ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1967 H. E. STANFIELD 3,339,754

BARREL DDDD ER Filed Oct. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR BY f/owar'd E. Stanfield ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,339,764 BARREL DUMPER Howard E. Stanfield, Tulsa, Okla, assignor to Auto Crane Company, Tulsa, Okla, a corporation of Oklahoma Filed Oct. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 496,462 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-315) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lifting and dumping device for refuse containers wherein the container may be quickly engaged by the device and the entire assembly may be elevated by a crane to position the container over a storage area. A latch on the device may be released for tilting the container to empty the contents in the storage area. The empty container and lifting device may be lowered by the crane to the original position for the container, and the lifting device disengaged therefrom.

This invention relates to improvements in drum tilting apparatus and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a device for lifting and dumping a refuse barrel, or the like.

Litter cans or refuse barrels are in widespread use today along highways, in public parks, in tourist rest areas, and the like, for receiving litter or waste products for sanitary purposes and to maintain an overall attractive appearance for the countryside. Since these drums or barrels may be disposed throughout a relatively large area, it is common practice to travel from site to site in a suitable vehicle and empty the contents of the barrel into an appropriate portion of the vehicle. Of course, when the drums or barrels are full, they are usually quite heavy, and are somewhat difficult to handle. As a result, the emptying'or dumping thereof often becomes a problem. In addition, as a practical matter, it is considered important to empty these containers as quickly or in as short a time as possible to reduce the overall cost of maintenance.

The present invention contemplates a novel device for facilitating lifting of a refuse container, or the like, and is particularly designed and constructed for ease of tilting of the container for an emptying operation. The novel barrel tilting apparatus comprises a bracket or lug assembly which is provided on each container or barrel for engagement by a lifting bracket device whereby the container may be quickly elevated in an upright position. The lifting bracket may be connected with a suitable crane device, such as commonly carried on a vehicle used in such an operation, and manipulation of the crane device in the usual manner permits positioning of the elevated container in the proximity of the refuse receiving portion of the vehicle. The container may then be quickly and easily dumped by manual release of a latch mechanism whereby the entire container will pivot from the upright position to a substantially inverted position for emptying the contents thereof. The empty container may then be lowered to the original site by the normal manipulation of the crane.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a novel barrel dumping device particularly designed and constructed for quickly and easily dumping the contents of a barrel or container.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel container tilting device which may be readily connected with a container for facilitating elevating and manipulation thereof during a dumping operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel barrel dumping apparatus which may be easily manually operated to release the barrel whereby the barrel may pivot to a dumping position for quickly emptying the contents thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel barrel dumping device which is simple and eflicient in operation and economical and durable in construction.

Other objects and advantageous features of the present invention will hereinafter more fully appear in connection with a detailed description of the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a barrel tilting device embodying the invention and depicted supporting a container in an upright position.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a container having a barrel tilting device embodying the invention in connection therewith.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational View of a barrel tilting device embodying the invention and depicting a container in a dumping position in solid lines and in intermediate positions in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character 10 generally indicates a suitable container, such as a drum or barrel. The barrel 10 is provided with a suitable bracket assembly 12 which preferably comprises a plate member 14 having a pair of spaced lugs 16 and 18 extending outwardly therefrom. A strap 20 extends between the outer extremities of the lugs 16 and 18 and may be integral therewith, or secured thereto in any suitable manner. The plate 14 may be secured to the container 10 in the proximity of the lower portion or closed end 22 thereof in any well known manner, such as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, wherein a back-up plate 21 is disposed adjacent the inner periphery of the barrel 10 in substantial alignment with the plate 14. The plate 14 may be secured to the barrel 10 by a plurality of spaced bolts 24, or the like, which extend through the plate 14 and sidewalls of the barrel and through the back-up plate 21 for receiving complementary lock nuts 26.

The tilting device or dumping bracket generally indicated at 28 comprises a substantially L-shaped support member 30 constructed of any suitable material, such as a square metallic tubing, or the like. An angular stirrup member 32 is rigidly secured to one end of the support member 30 in any suitable manner and is'provided-with" an outwardly and angularly extending leg or hookportion 34 on the outer extremity thereof for engaging the strap member 20 of the bracket 12 as will be hereinafter set forth. A substantially U-shaped or bifurcated latch mechanism 36 is pivotally secured to the support member 30 at 38, and is substantially oppositely disposed from the stirrup 32. A latching plate 40 is rigidly secured to one free or open end of the U-shaped latch member 36, and a sub- 3 stantially identical latching plate 42 is similarly secured to the opposite free end thereof.lEach latching plate 40 and 42 is provided with a projection member 44 (only one of which is shown in FIGURES l and 4), each providing a notch 46 for engagement with the open end 48 of the barrel 10. In addition, a handle 50 is secured between the latch plates 40 and 42 for facilitating manual operation of the latch mechanism 36, as will be hereinafter set forth. An aperture 52 may be provided in the closed end of the latch member 36 for receiving'a lanyard 54, on

Operation When it is desired to tilt the barrel for any reason, such as for emptying the contents thereof, the dumping or tilting bracket 28 may be secured to the barrel by manually engaging the stirrup 32 with the bracket 12. In this engaged position, the hook member 34 is in contact with the strap 20 and cooperates therewith to provide a pivotal connection between the tilting bracket 28 and barrel 10. The support member 30 is then disposed substantially parallel with the side of the barrel 10, as shown in FIGURE 1, and the latch member 36 may be manually pivoted about the point 38 for engaging the projection member 44 with the open end 48 of the barrel. The hook 60 may then be inserted within the aperture 58 of the bracket 56 whereby the dumping bracket 28 and barrel 10 may be elevated as a unit by the hoisting apparatus (not shown) in any well known manner. Of course, the hook 60 may be engaged With the bracket 56 prior to engagement of the tilting bracket 28 with the barrel 10, if desired.

When the barrel 10 has been sufficiently elevated and has been maneuvered into a position over the desired dumping area, such as a refuse receiving area on a vehicle (not shown), or the like, the latch mechanism 36 may be disengaged from the barrel 10. In order to accomplish this, the member 36 may be manually pivoted about the point 38 by pulling the lanyard 54, and moved in a direction for disengaging the projection member 44 from the open end of the barrel. Alternately, member 36 may be actuated by direct manual pressure, if desired, in lieu of use of the lanyard.

With the projection member 44 is disengaged from the barrel 10, the barrel will immediately pivot about the connection between the strap 20 and hook 34 as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4, and toward the position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 4. This is due to the fact that the pivotal connection between the strap 20 and hook 34 is in the proximity of the bottom of the barrel 10, and gravity will cause the upper end 48 of the barrel to tilt and fall downwardly. In addition, there is considerable bumping action between the barrel and the tilting bracket 28, particularly as the barrel reaches the lowermost tilted position. This facilitates emptying of the contents of the barrel in that the bumping action tends to dislodge any particules which might be caught in the interior of the barrel.

Subsequent to the dumping or tilting operation, the empty container may be lowered to the original position therefor. Of course, the barrel may be manipulated into an upright position in any well known manner and with comparative ease since the empty container is usually not extremely heavy. The tilting bracket 28 may then be discontinued from the barrel by removing or disconnecting the stirrup 30 from the bracket 12. The tilting bracket 28 may then be utilized in asimilar manner for dumping the next succeeding container, as desired.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates a novel barrel or drum tilting apparatus particularly designed and constructed for facilitating the dumping of refuse containers, and the like. The novel dumping or tilting apparatus may be quickly and easily engaged with the container to be dumped, whereupon the container may be elevated and dumped with a minimum of time and etfort. The novel dumping apparatus is simple and efiicientin operation and economical and durable in construction.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as heretofore set forth in the specification and as shown in the drawings, it being understood that any modification in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A tilting apparatus for a container and comprising a bracket assembly secured to the outer periphery of the container in the proximity of the lower end thereof, a lifting device for cooperation with the bracket and comprising a substantially L-shaped independent support member, a substantially hook shaped stirrup member rigidly secured to one end of the support member for engaging the bracket assembly to provide a pivotal connection therebetween, means provided at the opposite end of the support member for receiving one end of a hoisting chain, a bifurcated lever member pivotally secured to the support member and interposed between the opposite ends thereof, substantially aligned projection members carried by the lever member for engagement with the upper end of the container in one position of the lever member, lanyard means provided on the lever member for facilitating pivoting thereof to provide alternate engaged and disengaged positions for the projection members with respect to the container, said lifting device and container being movable as a unit in the engaged position of the projection members wherein said container may be moved freely in universal directions, and said container being freely pivotal about the bracket and stirrup connection in the disengaged position of the projection members.

2. A tilting apparatus for a container and comprising a bracket assembly secured in the proximity of the lower end of the container, an independent lifting device including a substantially L-shaped support member, a hook shaped stirrup member secured to one end of the support member for releasable, pivotal engagement with the bracket assembly, means provided at the opposite end of the support member for receiving one end of a lifting chain, a lever member pivotally secured to the support member and interposed between the opposite ends thereof, projection means carried by the lever member for alternate engagement and disengagement with the upper end of the container, lanyard means carried by the lever member for facilitating pivoting thereof to provide the alternate engagement and disengagement of the projection means with the container, said L-shaped support having one leg extending lengthwise of the container and a second leg extending transversely across a portion of the top of the container in the engaged position between the projection member and container whereby the container and lifting device are maneuverable as a unit, and said container being freely pivotal about the bracket assembly and stirrup connection in a disengaged position of the projection means with respect to the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 546,426 9/ 1895 McCoy. 2,023,499 12/1935 Winter 214-314 2,164,739 7/1939 Gerosa et a1 2l4-317 2,399,360 4/1946 Lacey 214-314 X 3,206,051 9/ 1965 Troller 214-300 .HUGO O. SCHULZ, Priniary Examiner. 

1. A TILTING APPARATUS FOR A CONTAINER AND COMPRISING A BRACKET ASSEMBLY SECURED TO THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE CONTAINER IN THE PROXIMITY OF THE LOWER END THEREOF, A LIFTING DEVICE FOR COOPERATION WITH THE BRACKET AND COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY L-SHAPED INDEPENDENT SUPPORT MEMBER, A SUBSTANTIALLY HOOK SHAPED STIRRUP MEMBER RIGIDLY SECURED TO ONE END OF THE SUPPORT MEMBER FOR ENGAGING THE BRACKET ASSEMBLY TO PROVIDE A PIVOTAL CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN, MEANS PROVIDED AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE SUPPORT MEMBER FOR RECEIVING ONE END OF A HOISTING CHAIN, A BIFURCATED LEVEL MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE SUPPORT MEMBER AND INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED PROJECTION MEMBERS CARRIED BY THE LEVER MEMBER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UPPER END OF THE CONTAINER IN ONE POSITION OF THE LEVER MEMBER, LANYARD MEANS PROVIDED ON THE LEVER MEMBER FOR FACILITATING PIVOTING THEREOF TO PROVIDE ALTERNATE ENGAGED AND DISENGAGED POSITIONS FOR THE PROJECTION MEMBERS WITH RESPECT TO THE CON- 